Single trigger mechanism for a double-barreled shotgun



Oct. 3, 1967 D. M. MORRISON 3,344,546

SINGLE TR 'IGGER MECHANISM FOR A DOUBLE-BARRELED SHOTGUN Filed Oct. 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. DEWEY M. MORRI SON Oct. 3, 1967 D. M. MORRISON 3,344,546

SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR A DOUBLEBARRELED SHOTGUN Filed Oct. 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .122 I22 :22 I28 I28 129 12s l26 12s INVENTOR. DEWEY M. MORRISON FIG. I8 i W FIG. l5 FIG. l6 FIG. I?

United States Patent 3,344,546 SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR A DOUBLE-BARRELED SHOTGUN Dewey M. Morrison, Rte. 1, Walkertown, N.C. 27051 Filed Oct. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 505,331 Claims. (Cl. 42-42) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE This invention relates to a mechanism for discharging firearms and more particularly to a single trigger mechanism for use with double-barreled shotguns utilizing a pair of cooperating sear lugs operable with the trigger assembly to fire the Weapon selectively.

Background and objectives of the invention Conventional single trigger mechanism on double-barreled shotguns are conventionally constructed so as to discharge the right barrel initially when the trigger is first pulled. The trigger is then pulled again to discharge the left barrel. Since the respective barrels of many models of double-barreled shotguns are of full caliber and choke caliber bores and usually the right barrel has the full caliber bore while the left barrel has the choke bore, it is highly desirable that the use of a solitary trigger mechanism or assembly have instrumentalities for enabling the selection of the barrel first to be fired, for full caliber bore provides for shooting an object at a less distance from the gun than that for which the choke bore is intended. The latter prevents a spreading of the pellets of the shell upon firing, the resulting reduced dispersion enabling long-range shooting more effectively than with the full caliber bore.

Many designs of single trigger mechanisms for use on double-barreled shotguns are such that it is oftentimes possible and even likely to accidentally fire the second barrel immediately after firing the first since in the excitement of the hunt, the hunter may inadvertently and in rapid succession pull back on the trigger twice, causing an unwanted discharge. Disadvantages from the standpoint of safety and waste are readily apparent.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a single trigger mechanism for a double-barreled gun which avoids the possibility of discharging the weapon twice in rapid succession by inadvertently pulling back on the trigger twice before completely releasing the trigger to allow its return to the original firing position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism of the type described which makes it impossible to fire the second barrel until the trigger has been released and returned to its original pre-fired position following the discharge of the first barrel.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the type described which has high reliability in selective firing and is simple in construction and durable in operation.

Yet still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the type described which is so constructed as to make it possible for the shooter to choose the barrel to be fired first, that barrel thus becoming the original in the firing sequence, the main functions necessary to the accomplishment of said sequencees being under the direct control of a solitary trigger.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety mechanism for a single trigger mechanism used with double-barreled shotguns.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a single trigger mechanism for a double-barreled gun wherein the particularly constructed sear lugs are so shaped as to permit the second sear to be biased or urged 3,344,546 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 to an operative position above tthe trigger responsive tripping mechanism after the first barrel of the weapon has been fired.

All of the objects, features and advantages of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of various embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure description FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional sear operated double-barreled shotgun in the fully assembled position.

FIG. 2 is a combined sectional and elevational view of a portion of a double-barreled shotgun receiver showing the sear-maintained hammer held in the cocked position and the safety linkage locking the trigger in the non-fire position.

FIG. 3 is a combined sectional and elevational view of a portion of a double-barreled shotgun receiver showing the hammer in the uncooked or fired position and also showing the safety linkage in the disengaged position thus permitting free pivotal movement of the lever arm and carried trigger.

FIG. 4 is a fragmented and combined sectional and elevational view of a portion of the receiver of a doublebarreled shotgun showing the hammer in the fire or uncocked position and also illustrating the placement of the second or hinged sear embodied in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a combined sectional and plan view of the first and second sears coacting with their respective hammers and illustrating the position of the lever arm-carried trigger with respect to the integral and hinged sears.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the mechanism particularly illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 showing the use of an alternative biasing spring for urging the hinged sear and attached lug laterally against the first integral sear.

FIG. 7 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the first and second sear lugs and their particular relationship to each other and to the trigger-carrying lever arm in the cocked or ready position.

FIG. 8 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the adjacent sear lugs and their relationship with respect to the trigger-carrying lever arm after the first barel has been fired but before the trigger has been released and returned to its original position.

FIG. 9 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the relationship between the first and second sear lugs with respect to the trigger-carrying lever arm after the first barrel has been fired and the tigger has been released and returned to its original position and the second sear lug has been urged or biased laterally to a position above the trigger lever arm in readiness for discharge of the second barrel.

FIG. 10 is a fragmented combined sectional and elevational view of a portion of a double-barreled shotgun receiver showing an alternative embodiment of a single trigger mechanism for double-barreled shotguns and an alternatively fashioned safety device cooperating therewith.

FIG. 11 is a fragmented combined sectional and partial plan view of the alternative single trigger mechanism illustrated in FIG. 10 showing the biasing spring for maintaining the swivel trigger assembly in a normal sear-engaging position.

FIG. 12 is a fragmented combined sectional and plan view of the alternative single trigger mechanism illustrated in FIG. showing the biasing spring for maintaining the swivel trigger assembly in a normal sear-engaging position.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 13-13 of FIG. 12 showing the trigger assembly in the normal cocked position but available for lateral movement in accordance with the particular barrel desired to be fired.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the alternative embodiment of a single trigger mechanism for double-barreled shotguns utilizing a laterally movable or swiveled trigger assembly to selectively fire either barrel of the weapon and illustrating the hinged and biased left sear and its relationship to the integral first or right sear of the weapon.

FIG. 15 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the sear lug relationship of the alternative embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 10 through 14 when the trigger lever arm is in position to discharge the right barrel of the weapon.

FIG. 16 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the sear relationship as the trigger discharges the first or right barrel by elevating the first or right sear.

FIG. 17 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the sear relationhsip of the alternative embodiment of a single trigger mechanism for a double-barreled weapon shown in FIGS. 10 through 14 illustrating the lateral movement of the left or hinged sear to an operative position above the trigger tripping lug once the trigger has been released and returned to its original position after the firing of the first barrel.

FIG. 18 is an end elevational diagrammatic view showing the sear relationship when the swivel trigger assembly has been selectively moved to discharge the left or hinged sear-controlled barrel initially.

FIG. 19 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the sear relationship showing the elevated left sear when the trigger assembly has discharged the left barrel of the weapon.

FIG. 20 is an end elevational diagrammatic view of the sear lug relationship after the left barrel of the weapon has been discharged and the swivel trigger assembly has been laterally moved to be operatively positioned beneath the right sear lug for subsequent firing of the right barrel of the weapon.

Detailed description Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a double-barreled shotgun generally designated 22 having a stock 24, a trigger 26, and horizontally disposed barrels 28, all of which are of conventional make and manufacture. A trigger grip area houses internally a receiver portion generally designated 32 (FIG. 2), and it is within this portion that the present invention has application.

Receiver portion 32 contains within the upper wall 34 and the lower wall or tang 36 the coking and firing assembly for conventionally operated shotguns. A spring 38 engages a hammer 40, one of which is provided to discharge each of the shotgun barrels 28, so that when the weapon is cocked or breached, a sear 42 coacts with a notch or ridge 44 on the lower extremity of hammer to retain the hammer in a cocked position as spring 38 is compressed and held under pressure. Hammer 40 is positioned to strike a firing pin 46 upon the disengagement of the flange 48 of sear 42 with notch or ridge 44. Sears 42 and 50 are pivoted independently about a common axis 52 so that they may be pivoted or actuated by the operation of the trigger assembly generally designated 54 which will be subsequently described in greater detail.

Rearwardly extending trigger-engaging arms 61 and 63 of sears 42 and 50 each have generally upstanding lugs 56 and 58 which comprise novel structural and operational features subsequently to be described in relation to the operation of the trigger assembly 54, and each of the sears 42 and 50 have forwardly extending hammer-engaging flanges 48 and 57. Arms 61 and 63 also carry sear-displacing cams 65 and 67 which cooperate in a manner to be described subsequently. Sear 50 is hinged intermediate its length and is biased laterally to constantly press against sear 42 by means of a leaf spring 62 or a conventional coil spring 64 (FIG. 6) to maintain sear arm cams 65 and 67 which are integral With lugs 56 and 58 in a constant engaging relationship each with the other.

Trigger assembly 54 includes a lever arm 66 having an integrally connected contoured trigger 68 appended thereto for shooter operation. Assembly 54 is constantly urged downwardly in a cocked or pre-shoot condition by means of a leaf spring 7!) held to the lower wall or tang 36 of the gun receiver portion 32 by means of a securing lug 72.

The operation of the sear lugs 56 and 58 are sequentially portrayed in FIGS. 7 through 9. Essential to this operation is the particular cross-sectional configuration of each of these lugs, for lug 58 has a cross-sectional configuration substantially resembling a triangle while the cam 65 of lug 56 has been diminished along the lower angular tip 74, a structural necessity that will be obvious as the lug cooperation is subsequently explained. The upper edge 76 of lever arm 66 normally rests lightly against the lower edge of lug 56 when the weapon is in the cocked or ready position. In the preferred embodiment of the present inventive concept, trigger assembly 54 is always maintained beneath the right sear lug 56 and does not possess laterally movable characteristics as will be disclosed in an alternative embodiment. When lugs 56 and 58 are in the cocked position as shown in FIG. 7, both coacting hammers are spring loaded and maintained in the cocked position as was illustrated in FIG. 2 by the cooperation between flange 48 of sear 42 and notch 44 0f hammer 40.

When trigger 68 is pulled back or displaced by the shooter, the upper edge 76 which constitutes the trip portion of lever arm 66 rides against lug 56 and elevates that lug and its cooperating sear 42 to release hammer 40 for subsequent impact with firing pin 46 and the resulting discharge of the right barrel of the weapon. Note that lug 58 is maintained in its original position since cam 67 integral with that lug engages the side 80 of lever arm 66. Lug 58, by virtue of its biased hinged configuration as shown in FIG. 6, is constantly urged laterally against the side 80 of lever arm 66 but so long as the trigger assembly 54 is in the displaced or pulled position, cam 67 integral with lug 58 cannot move laterally to the right.

After the right barrel of the weapon has been discharged and the trigger released, the biasing action of leaf spring returns the trigger to its original position and moves it downwardly (see arrow in FIG. 9) so that the side of lever arm 76 is lowered sufficiently to allow lug 58 to move laterally across and above that lever arm and become operative for firing the left barrel of the weapon upon subsequent trigger displacement by the shooter. Lug 56 and its supporting sear 42 is maintained in the elevated position to allow the lateral movement of lug 58 across and beneath lug 56 by means of a larger than normal ridge 82 formed along the lower arcuate surface of hammer 40. Note that only the right hammer possesses this enlarged bump or ridge since there is no necessity to retain the left sear 50 and its connected lug 58 in an elevated position once the second or left barrel of the weapon has been fired. Thus the hammer (not shown) coacting with sear 50 need not possess this enlarged ridge or bump since it would serve no purpose. Breaching or cocking the weapon will reposition the lugs 56 and 58 in their cocked position as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention possesses a unique and novel safety mechanism generally designated 84 which is comprised of a safety linkage 86 slidably retained in registry by means of a cylindrical shaft 88 passing through an accommodating aperture 90 of a pedestal or stanchion 92 secured to the lower wall 36 of receiver portion 32. The rearward portion 94 of linkage 86 is also held in registry by an elongated opening 96 which receives a pin 98 extending through lug 72. Lever arm 66 carries a substantially flat extending lug 100 positoned beneath a pin 102 secured to linkage 86, and when linkage 86 is positioned in a position to preclude firing of the weapon through any barrel, lug 100 falls directly beneath pin 102 and will not permit the pivotally mounted trigger assembly 54 to 'be moved or displaced by a pull on trigger 68 by a would-be shooter.

When linkage 86 is shifted forwardly to disengage pin 102 with lug 100, a curved indenture 104 in the trigger assembly 54 allows the trigger assembly to be elevated when the shooter displaces the trigger 68 as he attempts to fire the weapon. Since the trigger displacement causes the operation of sear lugs 56 and 58 as was discussed and described in FIGS. 7 through 9, the weapon will fire as previously shown, and this forward position of linkage 86 is known as the off or fire position.

A slidably secured safety button 106 is disposed on the exterior side of upper receiver wall 34 for convenient shooter control in a crirnped leaf spring 108 provides positive securement of the safety mechanism 84 in either the on or off position.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in FIGS. through 20 and comprises a laterally movable trigger assembly 110, that lateral movement permitted by the provision of an accentuated slot 112 within the lower wall of the shotgun receiver portion 114. The trigger assembly is movable about a pivot point or stud 116 and can be displaced vertically about pivot point 118. The trigger in this embodiment is always maintained in the fire or lowered position by means of a coil or helical spring 120 which becomes compressed when the trigger is pulled or elevated and which will force the trigger to rotate about pivot point 118 when the operator has released it.

operationally, trigger assembly 110 is always maintained in a position to initially engage the right sear lug 122 by means of a biasing leaf spring 124 secured rearwardly in the butt structure. Spring 124 merely presses against the side of lever arm 126, and the force of this spring pressure can be easily overcome by the selective firing of a shooter which will be described subsequently.

The operation and cooperation of the sears 122 and 128 are sequentially illustrated in FIGS. through 17 for first the selective firing of the right barrel and in FIGS. 18 through for the selective firing of the left barrel. If the shooter desires to fire the right barrel initially, since the trigger assembly is normally retained beneath the right sear lug 122, the shooter need only displace the trigger thus raising sear 122 and discharging the right barrel. Since the cam 129 integral with sear lug 128 is constantly biased against the cam 31 integral with sear lug 122 by reason of the spring forced hinged sear 130, lug 128 will move laterally beneath lug 122 and against the side 132 of lever arm 126, assuming the lever arm 126 and its carried trigger have not been released by the shooter. As soon as trigger 134 is released, it is biased to its original position by spring 120 thus allowing the passing of lug 128 thereover and the positioning that lug operatively for the subsequent firing of the left barrel. The sequential operation of the sear lugs should the operator desire to fire first the right and then the left barrel of the shotgun is essentially the same as that disclosed in the preferred embodiment of this concept.

Should the shooter desire to fire the left barrel first, he need only swivel or laterally move trigger assembly 110 to the left and position it under sear lug 128 as shown in FIG. 18 and then displace the trigger to fire the left barrel. Upon the discharge of that barrel, lug 128 moves laterally (see arrow in FIG. 19) to the right and the cam 129 engages the beveled or slanted surface 136 of sear lug 122, a contact which is smoothly made by reason of the beveled tip 138 of cam 129. The operator then need only displace 6 the trigger a second time to discharge the right barrel since spring 124 normally biases the trigger assembly back to its original position beneath sear lug 122.

An alternative embodiment of a safety mechanism 140 is disclosed in FIG. 10 and comprises a safety linkage 142 of a slightly elongated nature which is also maintained in slida'ble registry by means of an aperture 144 within a pedestral 146 which cooperatively receives a circular shaft 148 integral with linkage 142. An additional lug 150 is secured to the bottom wall 152 to support a pin 154 that is slidably received within an elongated aperture 156 of linkage 142. As is shown in FIG. 10, lug 150 can also be used to support spring 124 which biases trigger assembly 110 to a normal right sear-engaging position. A flange or plate 158 is integrally secured to linkage 142 and is maintained perpendicular thereto to provide a surface of sufiicient width to continuously engage upper edge 160 of lever arm 126 regardless of which position that trigger assembly is placed. Thus the safety mechanism 140 will preclude firing of either barrel of the weapon even if the trigger assembly is laterally moved from its outermost limits because of the width of flange 158. A conventional latch (not shown) mounted on the upper surface (not shown) of the receiver portion is contemplated for slidably positioning safety mechanism 140.

Thus there has been described unique and novel embodiments of a single trigger mechanism for doublebarreled guns which overcome many of the disadvantages heretofore found in conventional trigger assemblies. There has also been described embodiments of a unique and novel safety feature for use with single trigger mechanisms of double-barreled weapons that have been heretofore unknown in the art. Obviously, many modifications and variations may be made in the construction and arrangements of .the sears and lugs as well as the safety linkages and biasing means as well as the other phases of the present inventive concept in the light of the above teachings without departing from the real spirit and punpose of this invention. Such modifications and alternatives as well as the use of mechanical equivalents as those herein illustrated and described are reasonably included and modifications are contemplated.

Iclaim:

1. A trigger mechanism for a doublebarreled shotgun having a single trigger for actuating two independently operable hammers comprising a receiver portion, a trigger having a sear lug-engaging arm pivotally mounted in said portion, first and second sears pivotally mounted and laterally spaced from each other in said portion, each of said sears carrying a forwardly extending hammer-engaging flange and a rearwardly extending trigger-engaging arm, each of said sear-carried trigger-engaging arms having a trigger-engaging lug and a sear-displacing cam mounted thereon, the first sear-carried trigger-engaging arm being laterally displaceable toward the second searcarried arm, and means normally urging said displaceable sear-carried trigger-engaging arm laterally toward said second sear for cooperative engagement between said cams to position said displaceable arm lug in the path of trigger displacement after actuation of the second sear-carried trigger-engaging arm and displacement thereof.

2. A trigger mechanism according to claim 1, said laterally displaceable arm being articulated forming a forward portion and a rear portion hingedly connected together intermediate the length of said laterally displaceable arm.

3. A trigger mechanism according to claim 1 including means selectively restraining said trigger engaging arms from pivotal movement .to preclude sear displacement and the subsequent discharge of said barrels.

4. A trigger mechanism according to claim 2, said sear lugengaging arm being selectively shiftable laterally and positionable beneath said second sear to actuate said second sear initially.

5. A trigger mechanism according .to claim 1, said urging means biasing said first sear-carried trigger-engaging lug to an operative position above said trigger sear lug-engaging arm upon the release of said trigger after the actuation of said second sea-r and the resulting discharge of one barrel of the gun. I

6. A trigger mechanism according to claim 2 including means selectively restraining said trigger-engaging arms from pivotal movement to preclude sear displacement and the subsequent discharge of said barrels.

7. A trigger mechanism according to claim 1, said second sear-displacing cam being responsive to the pivotal movement of said trigger sear lug-engaging arm and said second trigger-engaging lug being in operative position beneath the lug of said first sear to elevate and actuate said first sear when said trigger is displaced; and means selectively restraining said trigger from movement to preclude displacement and subsequent actuation of said sears.

8. A single trigger mechanism for double-barreled guns having two hammers and a single trigger comprising: a first and second sear coacting with their respective hammers, said sears each having an upstanding lug movable therewith; a trigger arm carrying said trigger at one end, said trigger arm being swingably retained between said sears for longitudinal pivotal movement with respect to said gun; trip means responsive to the pivotal movement of said trigger arm, said trip means being in operative position beneath said second sear lug; means biasing said first sear lug laterally against said second sear lug and urging said first sear lug to an operative position above said trip means upon the release of the trigger after the actuation of said second sear and the resulting discharge of one barrel of the gun.

9. A single trigger mechanism according to claim 8, said trigger arm being selectively shiftab-le laterally and positionable beneath said first sear lug to actuate said first sear initially and discharge the other of said barrels.

10. A single trigger mechanism according to claim 9 including means selectively restraining said trigger arm from pivotal movement to preclude the displacement of said sears and the subsequent discharge of said barrels.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BURCHELT, Primaly Examiner. 

1. A TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR A DOUBLE-BARRELED SHOTGUN HAVING A SINGLE TRIGGER FOR ACTUATING TWO INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE HAMMERS COMPRISING A RECEIVER PORTION, A TRIGGER HAVING A SEAR LUG-ENGAGING ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID PORTION, FIRST AND SECOND SEARS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AND LATERALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER IN SAID PORTION, EACH OF SAID GEARS CARRYING A FORWARDLY EXTENDING HAMMER-ENGAGING FLANGE AND A REARWARDLY EXTENDING TRIGGER-ENGAGING ARM, EACH OF SAID SEAR-CARRIED TRIGGER-ENGAGING ARMS HAVING A TRIGGER-ENGAGING LUG AND A SEAR-DISPLACING CAM MOUNTED THEREON, THE FIRST SEAR-CARRIED TRIGGER-ENGAGING ARM BEING LATERALLY DISPLACEABLE TOWARD THE SECOND SEARCARRIED ARM, AND MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID DISPLACEABLE SEAR-CARRIED TRIGGER-ENGAGING ARM LATERALLY TOWARD SAID SECOND SEAR FOR COOPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID CAMS TO POSITION SAID DISPLACEABLE ARM LUG IN THE PATH OF TRIGGER DISPLACEMENT AFTER ACTUATION OF THE SECOND SEAR-CARRIED TRIGGER-ENGAGING ARM AND DISPLACEMENT THEREOF. 